Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1887-01-28
COMMUNICATIONS

WASHINGTON, Jan. II, 1881.
The weeks work in Congress can be
easily summarized, as the Senate was In
session only three days and the House
four. Besides good deal Of other prl-
vate legislation the Senate pensionea
the widow of General Logan at $1,000
year, secretly discussed the Mexican
Reciprocity treaty, and debated the I'M
portant pending bill on Interstate Com
merce. The House passed three OF
the regular Appropriation bills several
dozen private pension bills, and dis
cussed bills on the public buildings and
naval reorganization. But what should
be emphasized in the work OF demo
cratic House is the passage, without
opposition, and without any provision
for Confederate soldiers, of pension
bill for the current year appropriatlng
over $76,oo0,oo0.
This amount is nearly as much as
were the entire expenses of the govern
ment before the war, and it ought to
put the republican ranters of the last
presidential campaign to the blush, If
anything could. Democratic close
fstedness, indeed. Wherein does it
consistl
Senator Beck has by no means given
up his intention of pushing his bill to
prohibit members Of Congress from
acting as attorneys for railroads which
have received government aid, although
his long silence had led some of the
railroad Senator'S to hope that they
would not again be confronted by this
bugbear. 1t is a sore trial for them to
have to face this dreadful measure, es-
pecially since they know it is urged
forward by practically unanimous
public sentiment. The debate on the
Inter State Commerce bill is being long
drawn out In the Senate as shield
to keep Mr.. Beck of, but even it must
come to an end when all the speakers
have made their speeches for or against
it.
It seems that the Revenue Reform
question is really coming to the front
now, and that another effort will be
made to reach those surplus millions.
This time it will be by the internal
revenue men, Mr.. Randall and his fol
lowers. They will advocate that the
whole of the tobacco tax be removed,
that the tax on alcohol used in the arts
be abolished, and that fruit brandies
be relieved of tax, but as to whether
they will attempt any tariff alterna-
tioas, no one can predict. The MEM
bers of Congress from tobacco produc-
ing states feel that it is duty they
owe their constituents to vote for the
repeal of the internal tax on tobacco
in almost any shape that it might be
presented.
These are exciting days for the Sen
ators whose terms expire on the fourth
of March, and there are many indica-
tions that the Senate will be much
changed after that time, but whether
or NOT it will be improved in character
or ability,is an open question. sena-
tor Conger of Michigan, who has been
in public life for thirty.two years, is to
be succeeded by Col. Stockbridge, be-
cause the latter is richer man. The
long bearded republican millionaire
from Nevada, Mr.. M. w. Stewart, is
coming back for another term. No
one objects to him, however, as he was
rather lively man in the Senate, and
having pretentious looking residence
here, takes a good deal Of interest in
the improvement of Washington city.
II is still doubtful who viii get Gen.
Logan's place, but Pennsylvania sends
Mr.. Quay, a well known boss and in
triguer, instead of Mr.. Mitchell; and
Minnesota sends Ex-Governor Davis,
q tariff reformer, writer of book
on Shakespeare, and so-called orator
in place Of Mr.. Mcmillan. Nebraska
is hesitating between a demagogue and
a magnate, and California is still In
doubt, as are also New York, Massa-
chusetts, Tennessee, and other states.
When the House took up the bill
for a Reorganization of the Navy Mr..
Gof of West Va, who was Secretary
of the Navy for few weeks under Mr.
Hayes, entered upon lengthy cIti
cism OF the bill, and charged the lack
of Navy to the Democratic party
Representative Buck thought it strange
that after Republican Secretaries o.